Ballots for Tacoma’s Aug. 5 primary are out. Here’s where the candidates stand

Ballots for this year’s primary election went out July 18, the first step in whittling down the list of 20 candidates looking to fill the five Tacoma City Council seats up for election this year.

People looking to register to vote can do so online or on paper by July 28 and can do so in-person until 8 p.m. on election day, Aug. 5. Ballots must be postmarked no later than Aug. 5, election day, or placed in a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. that same day. Ballot drop boxes are available in 51 locations across the county, with locations ranging from outside UW Tacoma to Wapato Park.

Tacoma’s next top leaders are likely to be tasked with dealing with the city’s enduring budget deficit and the ever-changing impact of a new presidential administration. They’ll also be coming to city leadership in a time of transition – the city is without permanent leaders in top positions of police chief and city manager.

The News Tribune’s editorial board, which is separate from its news reporting staff, has endorsed candidates in the District 4, District 5 and at-large Position 6 races.

Various community groups are hosting candidate forums and debates ahead of the primary. Here’s a list of some of the upcoming events:

• TV Tacoma’s mayoral candidate forum, posted on the City of Tacoma’s Youtube page. Four candidates participated in the forum at City Hall, moderated by Liz Kurnitz-Thurlow from the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County. TV Tacoma and the League of Women Voters also hosted candidate forums for the council-at-large Position 6 and Port of Tacoma Positions 1 and 4.
• Mayoral Watch Party: No Politics, Just Policy on Thursday, July 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. at UrbanWork Rhodes Center at 950 Broadway. Hosted by Tacoma Rising, the event will feature a screening of pre-recorded interviews with all six mayoral candidates on questions about economic development, followed by a question-and-answer session with the candidates.
• Mayoral Forum: Tacoma’s Housing Crisis on Saturday, July 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Co-sponsored by United Food and Commercial Workers 367, Tacoma Ministerial Alliance, Common Good Tacoma and Tacoma For All. Four mayoral candidates will discuss policy related to Tacoma’s housing crisis at Common Good Tacoma at 621, Tacoma Avenue South.

Here’s what we know about the 20 candidates in the running:

Mayor

Steve Haverly

Haverly has worked as a substitute para educator for Tacoma Public Schools, in TV production and construction. His priorities include reducing homelessness, protecting the environment and making it easier for small businesses to start in Tacoma. By July 17 he had raised a total of $21,120.88 for his campaign, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.

Jesus “Jesse” Carlos

Carlos has served as a U.S. Army Ranger sniper and worked as a financial advisor, according to his campaign website. His priorities include addressing homelessness, combating climate change and uplifting marginalized communities. Carlos had reported raising $10,109.71 as of July 1, per the PDC.

Whitney Stevens

Stevens has a background in local government, having served on the Pierce County Planning Commission and worked for Pierce County Councilmember Tim Farell and Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson. Her priorities include summer childcare, building up the city’s revenues and addressing youth gun violence. She raised $20,522.86 for her campaign as of July 17, according to public disclosures.

Anthony (Tony) Ginn

Ginn did not appear to have a campaign website as of July 17 and did not report any campaign expenses or fundraising dollars by the same date.

Anders Ibsen

Ibsen most recently worked in real estate and before that served on the City Council representing District 1. His priorities include affordability, public safety and economic development. Ibsen had raised $172,104.84 as of July 17 – the highest amount of any candidate so far – and reported having spent $139,675.29 by the same date.

John Hines

Hines is on the City Council representing District 1 and served as deputy mayor in 2024. Hines’ priorities include building Tacoma’s economy, addressing homelessness and prioritizing public safety. He reported having raised $164,998.42 for his campaign as of July 17, the second-highest amount of money raised in the race for mayor. He reported spending about half that amount by the same date – $85,564.28.

District 2

Per state law, since only two candidates are in the running for the District 2 position – incumbent Sarah Rumbaugh and newcomer Ben Lackey – the two will advance to the Nov. 4 general election without the need for a primary. They will not appear on the Aug. 5 ballot.

District 4

Israel James McKinney

McKinney has served in the Air Force Reserves and worked at Boeing and Xfinity, according to his campaign website. His priorities include improving Tacoma’s job market, improving public safety and addressing homelessness. McKinney as of July 17 did not report any campaign expenditures or fundraising dollars. According to public disclosures, he opted for “mini reporting,” which applies to campaigns that raise and spend less than $7,000, which are not required to report their fundraising and expenditures to the state’s Public Disclosure Commission.

Silong Chhun

Chhun has worked for former Gov. Jay Inslee’s office and the Khmer Anti-deportation and Advancement Group, according to his campaign website. His priorities include protecting immigrant communities and making housing in Tacoma more affordable. Chhun raised $25,677.60 by July 17, according to public disclosures.

Sandesh Sadalge

Sadalge holds the position of District 4 council member, having been appointed to the seat in July 2024 after council member Catherine Ushka died in the middle of her term. Sadalge’s priorities include crime prevention, affordable housing and supporting small businesses. Sadalge by July 17 had raised the most amount of money in the race for District 4 at $30,033.00.

District 5

Brandon A. Vollmer

Vollmer spent the majority of his life living in District 5, according to his campaign website, and his priorities include addressing homelessness, affordability and transparency. He reported raising $851.03 for his campaign by July 17, according to public disclosures.

Joe Bushnell

Bushnell, who represents District 5 on the City Council, spent about a decade in the Marine Corps. His priorities include addressing homelessness, building on public safety and boosting Tacoma’s economy. By July 17 he raised $35,041.14 for his campaign.

Zev Cook

Cook is a community organizer, co-founder of Tacoma for All and worked on the campaign for the Tenant Bill of Rights and on council member Jamika Scott’s campaign in 2023. Her priorities include raising Tacoma’s minimum wage, building more affordable housing and taxing the rich. As of July 17, she raised $47,012.98 for her campaign – the largest amount of money raised out of all four council races.

Council-at-large Position No. 6

Lindsay Wills

Wills has worked as a fire inspector and in the permits department for the city of University Place. Her priorities include helping reduce costs to manage the city’s budget, transparency and addressing climate change. By July 17 she raised $4,453.00 for her campaign, according to public disclosures.

Hunder D. Henderson

Henderson works for the Washington State Department of Transportation and has worked for Pierce County Parks and Recreation. His priorities include creating jobs, affordable housing and improving Tacoma’s roads. As of July 17, Henderson raised $1,761.90 for his campaign.

Krista Perez

Perez is an author and small business owner, according to her campaign website, and is the only candidate who appears to have the endorsement of Deputy Mayor Kiara Daniels – who holds the at-large Position 6 seat. Her priorities include affordable housing and supporting local businesses. As of July 17, Perez had raised $31,281.92 for her campaign, the most amount of money raised by one candidate in the race for at-large Position 6.

Jessica Johnston

Johnston is the vice president of the Downtown Tacoma partnership and a member of Tacoma’s City Events & Recognitions Committee, according to her campaign website. Her priorities include bolstering public safety and economic development in Tacoma, as well as improving access to mental health care and addiction services. Johnston raised $21,216.00 for her campaign by July 17, according to public disclosures.

Todd Briske

Briske ran for the at-large Position 8 in 2023 and lost to now-council member Kristina Walker. His priorities, according to his campaign website, include affordable housing, addressing homelessness and reducing 911 response times. Briske did not report raising or spending any funds on his campaign, having also opted for mini reporting.

Latasha Palmer

Palmer is a small business owner and board member of the Hilltop Action Coalition. She hopes to focus on housing security and economic security, according to her website. As of July 17, Palmer had raised $22,573.03 for her campaign – the second-highest amount of money raised in the race for at-large Position 6.

This story was originally published July 18, 2025 at 5:00 AM.

Isha Trivedi

The News Tribune

Isha Trivedi covers Tacoma city hall, Pierce County government and education for The News Tribune. She has previously worked at The Mercury News, the Palo Alto Weekly, the Chronicle of Higher Education and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. She grew up in San Jose, California and graduated with a bachelor of arts in journalism and anthropology from the George Washington University. She is a proud alumna of The GW Hatchet, her alma mater’s independent student newspaper, and has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists for her work with the publication.